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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. charge — electricity
  3. club — for golf
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. cue — a hint
  8. present — there
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. club — for dancing
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. cue — for pool
  13. club — a group
  14. present — the time now
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. shower — to wash
  19. charge — a price
  20. date — the fruit
  21. present — a gift
  22. charge — in control
  23. shower — rain
  24. jam — to spread on bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com